Well that's like saying Switzerland > U.S. because there are greater portion of the U.S. that's poor and the average quality of life is higher in Switzerland.....
Very different? Half of Taiwan is currently divided on unification with China, with the pro-unification side heavily influenced by the 2 million China expats from the KMT exodus 60 years ago. Despite being 1/4 of the population, the KMT instituted martial law and began a policy cultural cleansing such as enforcing Mandarin and relegating the natives to extreme censorship and other limitation to their civil liberties. The only reason why Northern Ireland wanted to stay under the British flag was because their carpet bagger ancestors made great inroads there at the expense of the native population. Sure, the scope in oppression lies on a different scale, but there are more similarities between the two geopolitical areas than what you're dismissing.
I am not dismissing that. Reread my post. I said what makes the situation different is the nature of the border. The UK and Republic of Ireland are already part of the larger organization of the EU and cooperate on a range of things. People move freely across the border between the two, there aren't passport checks. I know because I have done it myself. That isn't the same situation as PRC and Taiwan even with the implementation of direct flights. Also while my leanings are pro Irish Republican I can tell you that a lot of the residents of Ulster are not carpet baggers or the descendents of carpet baggers but actual Irish Protestants.
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Taiwan will lose its influence with America one day and China will swiftly swallow Taiwan up. America has no strategic reason to protect Taiwan other than on Wilsonian principles of international benevolence and America will be too poor to be benevolent. Maybe Taiwan will get a team in the CBA. That'll be cool.
